In the inauguration of a rivalry with a clash of an almost comically prodigious collection of talent, there was a presumptive lopsidedness in the Sixers and Celtics matchup. Philadelphia orbits around the immense gravity of Joel Embiid, stacking a diverse array of skilled players that can capitalize on those frequent moments he pulls the defense apart.

On the other side, the Celtics continue to thrive in a perfectly balanced blend of players who can attack and distribute in a system orchestrated by Al Horford. While Philadelphia had to juggle a multitude of balls, the Celtics had to tackle one major obstacle before it could deal with the rest.

There is a reason the Embiid matchup has been dissected in granular detail the past two weeks. The Sixers’ offensive structure starts with one question: is the defense double-teaming him?

For most of the series, the answer was a resounding no. Boston stayed in single coverage on ...